


The Griffon's Door

by carvedduck



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Canon Compliant, Death is a character, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, Master of Death (Harry Potter), Master of Death Harry Potter, MoD Harry, MoD!Harry, Not Canon Compliant, Pony Harry, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Trans Rarity, alicorn, alicorn harry, canon who? dont know her, gilda and harry are siblings, gilda has two moms, griffons, its like... both?, starts one year before canon, trans rainbow dash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carvedduck/pseuds/carvedduck
Summary: Harry was running. He ran from Azkaban. He ran from the ones he once called friends. He ran straight into death’s cool embrace, promised another life, where he could be someone for himself, instead of another's puppet. He’s sent to another world to be sealed until someone needs him.When he finally awakes, he gains a family that loves him, and will continue to spread his wings and help others.
Relationships: Gilda/Pinkie Pie (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 152





	1. A Different Sort of being

Harry’s breath was haggard, but this was his last chance. The dementors had slowly been bringing him the necessary items. Four black candles, all uniform, exactly the same. This spell would destroy his body fully and completely, finally letting Death take him away from here. Death had promised it would work, and the beings hands laid on his shoulders, giving icy reassurance.

The candles were in each corner of the room, ready for what was about to happen next.

His cell door creaked open, and light, however dim, streamed in. He looked up, eyes glowing a glassy green, to see those in the doorway. Dumbledoor stood, aged and weary, and next to him was Hermione. Ron was… not there, killed when he refuted Harry’s guilt adamantly. It was said to be an accident, but he knew better.

Dumbledoor kneeled next to Harry, a grandfatherly smile plastered on his face. “Hello, Harry. Do you know why we’re here?”

Harry sighed, staring at Dumbledoor with no emotion. “Yes. You’re here to finally kill me. Again.”

Dumbledoor had the decency to crinkle his eyes in a watered down wince. “You're guilty of a hefty crime. The murder of an entire muggle town is nothing to scoff at, Harry. We will try until it sticks.”

“I told you. I’m not guilty. You are all just torturing me at this point. You've tried drowning me, electrifying me, skewering me, disemboweling me, and so much more. Just lock me up for good.”

Dumbledoor sighed. “We have… one more method to try. Stay still, Harry.”

Harry watched Dumbledoor pull his wand out, green tracing the tip. The killing curse hit him square in the chest.

Now, a little known fact about Avada Kedavra is that it was originally made as a ritual  _ component _ . Not as a stand alone spell- though it can be used as such. The other portiona of the ritual are a willing sacrifice,  _ Harry, _ and four black candles in a square formation- just how Harry had set them up.

The ritual itself?

To call upon Death for mortal judgement to whomever is inside the square- namely Harry and Dumbledoor- not that the latter knew this. Death would take this opportunity to steal away Dumbledore's magic as punishment. With Harry’s final sacrifice within the ritual, Death would finally be able to steal him away- as he was usually unable to interact with the physical world lest he destroy it accidentally.

As long as he stayed within the ritual square, however, Earth would be safe.

The killing curse sank into Harry’s chest, spreading a green glow throughout his body, and the candle's flames pulsed green, growing tall and hot. Hermione gasped, backing out of the door, and Dumbledoor jerked back as much as his old joints would let him.

Harry’s body fell to the floor, glowing green eyes staring up at the ceiling as a cold, black mist started swirling around him. Death had been summoned, and Harry died to Dumbledoors screams as his magic was torn to shreds and chopped out of his soul. 

And when he inevitably woke back up, he was sitting in a cozy armchair, a plush blanket was wrapped around his shoulders and he had his head resting against a particularly large pillow. There was a fireplace in front of him, flickering and dancing over two wooden logs.

Harry thought it was pine.

He sat up slowly, pulling the blanket closer around him, glancing around the room. It was a cozy sort of cottage- stone statues scattered the floor and shelves, and there were books lining a bookshelf in the corner. There were no doors, but a window let in a soft red light, with what looked like snow drifting down onto the ground and over pine branches. The sky was red, but everything looked like it was night.

There was a chuckle next to him, and he noticed another armchair that wasn't there before had appeared next to his. A tall figure sat, legs propped over one of the chair arms, and rested his head on the other. He had dreads and dark skin, and a white skull tattooed like a half mask on his face. He wore a white suit blazer over a black button up, and was fiddling with a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, fixing one for himself. He looked almost ethereal in the red light, eyes staring back at him with the same red intensity. 

He was death.

Though, he insisted on people he was close to call him Mortis. He grinned up at Harry, teeth unfathomably sharp and bright. “Well, hello. Nice of you to wake up, m’lord.”

Harry scrunched his face up in disgust at the nickname. “Ugh- how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that.”

Death just laughs- a deep, eldritch sound.  _ “Oh,  _ as many times as there are stars in the sky, Harry.” He grins ferally. “So, then. What now? Hang out with  _ me _ for the rest of eternity? Travel the planes- be reborn yourself, hmm? You’ve had  _ years _ to contemplate.”

Harry bites his lip a bit, staring at the soft black carpet of the floor. “I can… always come back here, right?”

Death chuckles, nodding. His dreads sway ominously with the motion, as if they were underwater. “Of course, Harry. I just had to bring you here once- at your wish, you can come back any time- and go back to where you were.” 

Harry hummed a response, eyes glowing luminously once he finalized his decision in his head. He glances up to meet Death’s own eyes, and he loosens the blanket, face almost blank. “I- I would like to be reborn. Not like-  _ born _ reborn, but… I’d like to fit into the next world’s standards of being.”

Death tilts his head, grin widening. “Being reborn without- hmm, you  _ always _ manage to surprise me, m’Lord.” He pauses, bringing a knuckle to his lip in thought. “I can certainly do that, however you may not like it for a while. No humans?”

“No humans. Humans are…”

Death nodded. “Of course.”

Harry paused, burrowing into the warmth of his blanket. “Mm- I’d like to fall asleep, here, if that’s alright? It’s the safest i’ve felt in a… long while. Transport me or whatever after I’ve fallen asleep, please?” His eyes drooped and his breathing was smoothe, almost falling asleep then and there.

“Of course, m’Lord.” Death purred, standing to run a hand through Harry’s hair, still soft and healthy even after azkaban. Harry fell asleep quickly with Death next to him.

The elder being signed, looking down at Harry’s sleeping form. He had been through so,  _ so _ much- and he knew Harry trusted him with his everything. Harry’s form glowed under Death’s hands, shifting into the form of an inhabitant of where he was being sent.

Four long, slender legs, a quadruped, and his hair turned to black smoke, curling around his head just as his hair did, trailing down his neck- and his new tail looked as if it were a smoke generator with how it curled and pooled. His new fur turned a charcoal grey, dark, but still noticeably lighter than his hair- no,  _ mane _ , and tail. His legs faded from charcoal to ivory at the hoof, and around his muzzle. He had a long, regal looking horn that curved back ever so slightly, and two large charcoal wings with ivory primary feathers.

He was an alicorn, only fitting for his little lord. Death ran a hand through his smokey mane, watching it curl and dissipate around his fingers. 

He hated what he had to do next.

He curled his fingers over Harry, sending him to the new dimension  _ cluster _ , into a deep forest. A circle of stones stood up like stonehenge, placed evenly around a large stone, one side carved with a depiction of Harry’s alicorn form, and the other with the deathly hallows. Harry himself was sealed in the center stone, and would wake up to army ponies enamored with the structure that appeared overnight.

He hated having to do this, but it was necessary.

With a last flash of light, Harry was sealed completely, and Death was alone. 

Again.

* * *

**_Pony Capital - 10,000 years pre-Celestia rule_ **

General Hazy Sword was not having a good day.

He and his troops from nearby villages had finally infiltrated the enemy grounds, Griffon territory, after they had backed them into a corner. They would have  _ won _ this war, and gained all of the Griffon territory.

Why were they at war? Griffons had fresh territory, and with the pony’s ever expanding population, they needed more land. They were willing to fight for it. Griffon’s were on the defense throughout the war, not ready for the battle magics and swords the ponies had, and were beaten down hard.

Just when they had gained new ground, however, a strange stone structure appeared, looking much like Griffon temples they had previously come across- except for the fact that there was a  _ pony _ inscribed on it. A strange one, that they had never seen before, with both wings  _ and _ a horn.

A fabled Alicorn- a species only seen in old pony myths. A bringer of change and prosperity. At first, the ponies had rejoiced, thinking that this was a sign that they would  _ win _ , but as soon as they touched a stone, they died.

Every pony who tried to touch any stone from the circle turned to dust, and whatever power they had went straight into the stones.

They tried to use this to their advantage- tried to lure griffons in, but when  _ they _ touched it, their power was  _ amplified _ . Their talons were harder and sharper, they could fly better, they were stronger and smarter. Their old docile nature was shed, and their war  _ shifted _ . 

Now it was ponies on the defense, and griffons on the offence.

So no, General Hazy Sword was not having a good day. Currently, in fact, he was negotiating terms of a retreat treaty- the griffons had taken their capital, and  _ won _ . And all things considered, the now warrior race were being  _ extremely _ generous. 

They didn’t ask for land or money- only the fact that if a pony trespassed on griffon lands again, they fell under griffon law until they left- and if they stayed in griffon territory for over ten years, not including years in custody of law, they were a griffon citizen and when they left, they would still fall under griffon law and punishment.

It was strange, at first, but it made sense. Griffons could punish ponies however they felt necessary in their own lands, and if a pony stayed long enough, it didn’t matter what the pony government did.

It was their only option, though, so Hazy Sword signed, as the current leader of the ponies after their previous leaders died in battle protecting the capital. 

He really,  _ really _ hoped that this didn’t bite ponies in the ass in the future.

* * *

When Harry woke up, he was scared.

Scared, angry, and curious- though that last one was after all those horse-creatures had died at his hands.

A griffon had been captured by the horses, and brought into his stone circle, and that griffon  _ sobbed _ . She  _ sobbed _ and  _ cried _ because she was so, so tired with this war. She had yelled and screamed at how unfair this was to the ponies who brought her here, and Harry paused right before he took her life force, because  _ what? _ What war?

Harry doven into her mind, and recoiled at what he found. These-  _ ponies _ \- had her her race for no reason. And curse his saving-people-thing, but he wanted to help. So he flexed his powers, sinking it into the soil of the griffon’s territory. He started on the griffon,  _ Gilda _ , who brought this to light. He made her stronger, more resilient,  _ deadlier, _ and less afraid. He did that to every other griffon at once, and it  _ worked _ .

The griffons drove the ponies out, and Gilda visited the stone temple every time she could afterwards, as a thanks to  _ whatever the fuck _ happened there.

His temple grew, creating a vast,  _ beautiful _ capital city. And with it, books. He read through all of the books within his walls, learning history as it was created.

It didn’t last, as most cities don’t. Within three thousand years, his temple, his  _ city, _ fell to ruin and disrepair, but not before a prophecy was given at his stone.  _ “The griffon named after  _ her _ , break the spell by her cry, a new age shall be brought, Oh lord that shall not die.” _

A griffon by the name of Gilda would free him, but  _ how? _

Hundreds of years waiting turned to thousands. Alicorns roamed for a small blip in time, often flocking to his temple to study its ancient walls. Griffons rarely came around here any more, moving further into the mountains.

Two sister alicorns visited, just as their race was dwindling, and stayed until the death of their mentor, when they left to rule over the rest of the ponies.

Harry was so,  _ so alone _ . Until he heard the unmistakable sound of a crying griffon, running from what sounded to be a mighty beast.

The griffon was small, only a child, and was crying heavily with deep gashes on her back and wings. A manticore chased after her, and she hid behind his rock, sobbing. The manticore crashed into his rock, splitting it and causing rubble to crash around the small griffon. 

He could hear two more wingbeat sets- of griffon origin- probably her parents, but as soon as her tears hit the rubble, every piece of his stone glowed bright. They disappeared soon after, revealing him in all his glory, in the form of an alicorn. An alicorn foal, to be exact, only slightly taller than the young griffon. Had he not had pressing matters to attend to, Harry would have laughed.

As it was, though, a manticore was attacking, and the two adult griffons were too far away. 

He took a step in front of the stunned griffon and hissed, horn glowing a deathly green, the same color as his eyes, and a beam shot out, pushing the beast away. It roared, charging him again, and the adult griffons entered just in time to see the manticore get impaled by a large spire Harry levitated from somewhere in the ruins.

_ “Gilda!”  _ One of the adult Griffons, the taller one and a woman by the voice, gave a shout, running over to the small griffon, presumably Gilda. The other griffon checked to make sure the beast was truly dead before turning to Harry. 

“I- young pony, our child would have died if you hadn’t helped. Is there any way we can-  _ holy shit.”  _ The shorter, also a woman, backpedaled when she noticed that Harry was not a unicorn, but an  _ alicorn _ . The taller griffon gave a small  _ “Oh, goodness.” _ when she noticed, still holding her child close to her. 

Harry blinked, backing up a bit, into one of the crumbled walls. “Er- hi? Hello- uhm.”


	2. A New, Old History

Gildas moms had taken him back to their village, Griffonstone, the apparent largest city of griffons there was. He was nervous, especially with all of them watching as they took him to a town hall, or what he assumed it to be, just next to a castle carved into the mountain itself.    
  
There was a lot of legal talk, and the bringing up of old rules and treaties he vaguely recognized, before the two griffons turned to him, the small form of Gilda asleep on the taller’s back. A few medics pulled a stretcher in for her, and the taller griffon left with them, leaving him with the shorter of the two.   
  
“I’m Scallion, young pony… what is your name? Is there anyone you need to go back to? We’ll help you get back home, wherever that may be.”    
  
Harry blinked, shrinking in on himself a tad. He hadnt talked to anyone in… thousands of years, and before that, it was the prison guards and Dumbledoor. He… was out of his element. He still had to spin  _ some _ sort of tale, though. He couldnt just say he was stuck in a rock for thousands of years.   
  
“I’m… Harry. And I- I dont… want to go back, please…” He mumbled, looking down a bit. It was a pathetic attempt, but it seemed to work well, if the concern doubling on the woman’s face was any hint. Or the mutterings of  _ ‘damn ponies, driving away their own kind.’ _   
  
The griffon, Scallion, sighed, pale blue feathers around her eyes ruffling as her eyes softened. “You don’t have to go back, Harry. You’re safe here, alright? We have a foster care system they can refer you to… or you can come with us. You saved my daughter's life, young pony. Opening our home to do is the least you could do.”   
  
Harry blinked, eyes tearing up in shock. It was- that easy? Well, of course it would be.   
  
Death had sent him here, no matter how unorthodox he did so.   
  
He wiped away his tears, startling a bit when his wings were the ones to respond to the will, before nodding a bit. “That would… thank you, ma’am…”   
  
Scallion gave a small smile, humming slightly. “Oh, none of that ma’am stuff now. You can call me by my name.”   
  
Harry’s blinding smile in response was a genuine one.   
  
\---   
_ He was going to be late he was gong to be late he was going to be late- _   
  
Harry tossed a few last minute items into his saddlebag pockets, things lit with green magic flying around his room. Gilda had burst in saying the alarm went off, and they were supposed to be leaving for flight camp.   
  
Harry had  _ not _ been prepared.   
  
This camp was a smaller one, still in Griffon territory. His moms had said something about waiting till the tenth year for some legal reasons, and he could go to the larger one afterwards. It had been two years since he started living with him, and he was physically around seven. Gilda was five.    
  
That was alright, though, he’d still get to meet other ponies! He’d only met the occasional tourist and researcher, and neither made good friendly conversation- though the latter was good for gathering information about the current happenings outside of griffon territory, and they usually had a  _ lot _ .   
  
This camp would be split between griffons and ponies almost equally, and most of the councillors were ponies, as a way to get young griffons to meet a larger variety of diversity.   
  
It was going to be  _ fun. _   
  
Harry shot out of his room, barreling fast a giggling Gilda, and bid his moms, Scallion and Ora, goodbye before taking off into the sky, his sister following after, far more wobbly in flight than he was.   
  
The camp was maybe an hours flight for their age, counting rest stops and snack breaks. They made it just before mid day, and Harry led the way to check in.   
  
Just off to the side, though, was a pony around Gildas age, light blue with a rainbow mane, arguing loudly with a counselor.   
  
“I told you! Im a  _ boy! _ I’m not going to the STINKING GIRLS CABIN!” The young pony almost shouted the last part, legs he was standing on wobbly.   
  
The counselor gave him an unimpressed look, frowning. “Look, prism dancer-”  _ “Its Rainbow Dash,” _ “Prism Dancer. Your signed up on paper as a  _ filly _ . Not a  _ colt _ .”   
  
“M’not a girl…”   
  
Harry frowned, turning to Gilda, who looked worried and uncomfortable. “Sign us in, I’ll…” He gestured to the pony and counselor. Gilda nodded, and Harry stepped out of line, heading towards the pair.   
  
“Uhm- excuse me? What’s going on, here…?”   
  
The foal jumped, wings flaring as he startled. The counselor just leveled a stare at Harry, before taking in his horn and wings, and his eyes widened comically. Probably thought he was visiting royalty or some shit, they all did.   
  
“Oh- nothing important- just this filly arguing about housing for her stay.”   
  
It was Harrys turn to level an unimpressed stare. “Well, it sounds to me like you’re trying to put a  _ boy _ in the girls cabin. Leave him the fuu- dge alone and take your mean opinions elsewhere.”   
  
Harry ended up bunking with Rainbow Dash, another colt, and three griffons, the others varying in age. Throughout camp, Rainbow stuck with him and his sister, and ended up helping out with the low confidence Gilda always seemed to have.   
  
The three of them became pen pals after camp ended, occasionally having Rainbow stay over for a few days.   
  
\---   
  
Being the only pony in a school full of griffons was strange. Being an alicorn made it more so, and he was no stranger to bullying.    
  
Gilda got into sports, becoming fairly popular quickly, and helped make sure nothing got too bad, but Harry was two years ahead of her, so there wasn’t much she could really do. Harry kept himself safe, though, and the first time they’d gotten physical, he beat them black and blue. They kept it to insults and destruction of property, now.   
  
Something he was thankful for, though, was the fact that in a griffon school, no one cared that he was a ‘blank flank-’ a term he’d gotten from some tourist’s kid.   
  
With how much he studied, he was almost surprised it wasn’t a book, or some way to represent knowledge or learning. Almost. He knew what it would be, eventually, waiting for the right time to appear. It would be the deathly hallows, he was sure of it.   
  
But he was studying- history, law, arts, and everything else that may help him once he left the griffon territory to explore the majority of the world.    
  
He turned the page to his book, reading. Last year of highschool. He was going to travel, soon, as the year was almost up. His tenth year was long past, and he understood what that meant, now. No one in the lands outside of the griffon territory could take him from his parents. No one could claim ‘lost royalty’ and steal him. He was  _ safe,  _ content under griffon law.   
  
He snapped the book shut, standing quickly, free period almost up.


	3. New Arrival

The wind under Harry’s wings was crisp, very few clouds in the sky. The sun washed over him, keeping the cold altitude from making him uncomfortable. He spotted a town in the near distance, and he slowed to a stop, pulling out a map. Yep- this should be the place.

He landed carefully on the ground just outside the town, quickly casting an illusion over his wings to hide them from prying eyes- learning to do so after meeting ponies outside griffon territory the first time.

He’d been traveling for a handful of years now, gathering items and experiences from all over the ‘new’ world he lived in. He met strange beings, fought dangerous creatures, discovered rare and valuable items, and now here he was. Stocked up with his expanded saddlebag and ready to start the business he’d decided on years back; a collector and seller of magic items, tomes, strange foods, and items from all over the world. A small slice of everything.

He had chosen a small, backwater town to start his store up- Ponyville. No competition for rare and strange items. His long time friend, Rainbow Dash, lived here as well and was planning on dropping in to say hi once he was settled- His mothers had said it was a good idea to go where he had at least one friendly face.

He adjusted his bag, invisible wings shifting awkwardly, and started making his way into town. He needed to find city hall and look at the buildings listed for sale. He’d be staying with Dash till he had a place of his own, but he didn’t want to intrude too long.

He took around half an hour to walk around the small town, looking at the varying architecture and the ponies who lived there, before backtracking to his destination.

A tall building, for the area at least, with hard oak doors. He started opening the door before getting barreled over by a bright pink mare, causing the two to tumble back down the steps and onto the ground below.

“Oh! Oh! I’ve never seen you before! Are you new?”

Ah. Right in his face. His invisible wings sprawled uncomfortably below him, the pink ponies hooves dangerously close to trampeling distance. He tucked them back quickly so she wouldn’t accidentally step on them.

“Ah.. yes? That’s why i’m at… city hall. Im moving in.”

That seemed to be a good answer, if the ponies high pitched giggle was anything to go by. Was this normal? Were ponies this far into their territories this… energetic? “Perfect! See you soon then!” She giggled, before literally jumping off him and skipping down the street. He saw a few ponies look exasperated but.. Fond? Ok. That meant it wasn’t too unusual… hopefully.

He groaned, sitting back up, and brushed the dirt off himself, wings beating hard and adding an extra plume of dirt, only to give an audible yelp at someone else right next to him. _“Pleasedontjumponme-”_

The other, older looking mare merely chuckling, shaking her head a bit. “Yes, I do suppose that can be a bit startling. That was just Pinkie Pie, she always ends up throwing parties for newcomers in town.”

Harry just nodded slowly, looking over to the direction Pinkie had gone, and the ponies did seem more upbeat, now. Huh. That’s actually really nice of her, even if it was a bit… in his face. 

“So,” The mare started, leading him inside, “Introductions should be in order if you're a new citizen. I’m Mayor Mare” Oh, thats fucking wonderful- “you?”

“Oh, uh, Harry. Just, harry.”

She nodded, scribbling something on a notepad. “Where you from then?” “Uh, Griffonstone.” At that, she eyed him a bit more critically- namely his odd hair that turned and blew with plumes of black smoke that dissipated not too far away. And his much longer, curved horn that shone bright ivory, a stark difference compared to the main color of his coat. If Harry had been able to watch the box she scratched in, it would have been _‘Unicorn, Foreign’_ but her scrutiny made him nervous. 

She chippered after that, near giving him whiplash as she asked a few more questions to get him filed in, till that led to where he was staying. 

“I’ll be staying with a friend, till I fix up whatever place I buy, I plan on setting up shop, so if I need a permit, too…?” Mayor Mare seemed a bit confused at the vagueness, but didn’t think much of it, and pulled out a real estate folder. “Go ahead and look through these, available buildings in and just out of town. A few empty lots as well if you wanted something built yourself.” 

Harry smiled appreciatively, sorting through them. There were a few in the dead centre of town, but that would be too much noise, and far too expensive. He gave a slight thought to a few of the lots, but he wanted something sooner rather than later. There were a few on the very edge of town he wrote off immediately, before coming across something that looked promising. On a side road, out of the main hub of shops but not quite outside, and three stories. The first two were a ground floor and lofts for a store, and the third a living space. It was somewhat run down, and needed work done, so on the cheaper end as well, far less than his expected budget. Even with all the work needed, though, it shouldn't be that low...

The mayor looked down at the property, whistling lowly. “Ah, that one caught your eye? I’ve gotta say, its a beautiful place but, ah, there are two particularly… violent spirits bound to the premises. That’s why the neighboring buildings are all for sale, too, they can reach those, and a bit outside as well.” Harry blinked, looking down. Angry spirits? That would be… oddly easy.

The Mayor saw how set he was on the property, and sighed. “You’re sure..?” Harry nodded, and she sighed. “Well, the other two wont sell any time soon. I can give you the three for what the price of the original normally would be, as long as you… deal with them, somehow.”

Harry looked up at her in a bit of shock, because that? Was really cheap? He looked at the other building’s listings, a bit higher because they were in near mint condition. “I’ve got a bit of experience in taming and exorcism, i’m sure I can manage that, ma’am..?”

The mayor brightened at that, and thanked him profusely. He handed over the gold bits, got the deeds and keys, and left to survey the place in his hands. Hooves. Whatever.

It wasn’t that long of a walk, before the rundown building came into view. As soon as he stepped close enough, he felt cold wash over him. He blinked, feeling a thick, binding magic wash over him as he walked within the gated garden, not affecting him, but old and present. These ghosts weren’t tied to the building, there was something about the land… it felt like a cemetery almost, but far too small… and so, so old… 

He nearly basked in the feeling, unlocking the door and stepping in. He was immediately met with a hissing, howling sound, and a large, ghostly snake snapped at him- only for its jaws to go right through him as his form too went incorporeal. 

“Now, is that any way to treat a guest?” 

The ghostly snake, barley larger than an old pet boa, seemed to anger further, a crest rising on their head- and oh. It was a basilisk ghost…

Neat.

Harry puffed up his own way, sealing the door behind him and making his wings visible. He spread and puffed up the feathers, plumes of black hair that glowed ever so slightly now, growing thicker and spreading a bit. The basilisk was a younger one, not used to fighting for its territory once challenged, only used to the common dominance displays often seen in ones that were pets…

The basilisk’s crown spread and fluttered further, mouth opening and snapping, displaying the ghostly, venomous fangs. Harry swelled his magic, bright white and glowing jaws of fangs appearing around his face. When they snapped shut in response, the sound was loud, ringing out around the room. 

The snake paused at that, trilling confused, and Harry let his plumes of smoke spread further, till the snake dropped its head to the floor, bent to press the top and crest against the hardwood. The snake saw Harry as the more dominant, and was showing respect to him. Good. He snapped once more, before dispelling his magic and letting his plumes recede.

The snake wouldn’t harm him, and seemed to want to curl around him now, but kept slipping through and getting disappointed, if the way it keened dejectedly was any note.

Kissass.

Harry walked further in, marveling at the large, empty space, and the lofts above him. This would be perfect for his shop. He shuffled around, even going to the backrooms, before making his way up the stairs, content in the fact that the other ghost wasn’t down there.

He entered the hall, peeking in the rooms, all empty and broken, a few with caved in floors he’d need to fix. The snake left a few rooms in, heading to one at the end of the hall. He watched, and after looking at all the other rooms, he entered, only to feel a thick beam rush through the space that was his incorporal head, burying itself in the wall behind him. 

_**“GET OUT!”**_ The voice was loud, demanding, and… fearful. A large knife was thrown, sinking into the wall behind him. _**“GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!”**_ So, so scared…

The specter in front of him was a young mare, barley into adulthood. She was shaking, soot falling from her hooves- burnt alive… with stake marks… Ghostly tendrils of angry magic coming off her in waves- a true wraith-like form.

_Oh._

Something he’d found in the past were groups of earth ponies that had their own ‘magic’- mainly potions and foresight… Most ponies that practiced were long gone, having been either converted or... eradicated. Non pony species like zebra and some individual species of dragons still had forms, and usually weren’t well taken-to in a lot of pony cultures. 

The old magic he’d felt made sense now. A unicorn, possibly a few, persecuted this young mare and what was probably her familiar, and sealed her to the spot she died. His form grew sad, even as the mare kept screaming and trying to attack him. 

He couldn’t do anything to talk the possibly thousand year or more old spirit down, and instead, let his magic speak for him. The roots of the smoke glowed white, illuminating the dark swirls, horn and eyes glowing softly. He kneeled down, symbol flashing on his flank for barely a moment before disappearing from view again.

He pressed his horn to the ground amidst her screeching, now trying to attack him physically and falling through, low beam of light seeping through the floors and into the earth below him, searching for her resting place. Ah, there. The floor around the spot split upwards in a circle, floorboards from the third floor bending down and lengthening to connect, making a pillar of swirling, black wood around her resting place, before pouring his magic in. Calm, his magic sang. Calm, no one can hurt you now. Calm, you are safe now.

The spirit raged and screamed at him as he did so, and he poured more in, magic almost taking a physical, liquid-light appearance as he channeled it.

His vision started to get hazy, and the last thing he remembered before falling down to the floor and blacking out is the concerned gaze of the no longer wraith-like mare.

“Hello? Hello?”

Harry woke to someone nudging his face, and grumbled, shifting away to open his eyes blearily. In front of him was the ghostly form from earlier, but the mare seemed far more… stable. No more tendrils of miasma rolling off her, and though she was translucent and seemed to flicker every now and then, she seemed considerably more… normal, if you ignored the charred, soot leaving hooves and nail holes, not that blood or soot stayed where they fell, instead disappearing soon after touching the floor.

She still had vague, muddy and dim colors just as most corporal ghosts had, and now that he’d lost hold of his previous incorporalness, she could bump or touch him freely with a cold, numbing feeling. Her hair was snowy white, with a pale, pale green coat and a tealeaf and flame cutie mark. The only truly vivid part of her were wide, bright blue eyes, one misty with blindness. 

He blinked, sitting up a bit, and the younger mare looked abashed at waking him up. “Uhm, are you… ok? I don’t remember much, but…” She looked over to the wall with the embedded pole and knife. 

Harry just smiled, nodding, pulling them out and banishing them somewhere else for now. She watched the strange, white glow, and fretted nervously from how he wobbled even with the simple magic. “Ah- I guess I overdid it a bit..” He mumbled, grimnancing. The world swayed for a moment, before he straightened up, swallowing a shaky sigh. “Mm, I’m Harry, new owner of this building...s” He added, grimacing at his own grammar.

“Harry? Harry… I, thank you for.. Whatever you did, I’m Ash Leaf, and my partner here is Widner.” 

Harry looked between the two, nodding a bit. “Now.. you have a choice, Ash Leaf. I can… send you beyond and dispel the magic here, or you can stay here with me, still unbound so you can come and go as you please- as long as you promise not to harm anyone without due reason.”

Ash Leaf looked at him, more than confused, and sat back, petting Widner slowly, who preened under the attention.

“I… I want to see what it’s like, now.. I’ll come back, but..” She looked out the window. “Theres so much I can do…”


	4. Haven

Ash Leaf left that night, having spent the rest of that day walking around the edges of town with Harry, exploring everything new that had popped up in this now almost foreign world. Not too many surprised citizens later, they’d said their goodbyes, and she and her familiar were off into the world.

She and Harry had an agreement- she’d be back for the Summer Sun Celebration and periodically send Harry packages of items she found in her travels. It being just a few weeks past the last festival, it would be almost a year before he saw Ash and Widner again, but he understood their motives.

By the time she had left and Harry locked up for the night, it was nearing midnight. Hopefully Rainbow Dash wouldn’t be too cross with how late he’s had to stay up. He looked around, sighing, and unfurled his wings, disillusioning himself completely, and took to the skies, following the instructions he had sent almost a month in advance.   
  
There weren't many cloud-based homes in ponyville, Harry noticed quickly, and it was fairly easy to find Dashes house. He let himself land on the porch, soft cloud under his hooves, and let his disillusionment drop completely, wings and all, before knocking on the door.   
  
There was a surprised yelp inside, then a thud of something falling, then quick steps to the door. The door swung open, and he had barely started to say hello before Dash threw himself onto him, and they toppled back over his porch. Dash was laughing, and yelled “Jackass! What took so long?!” that was barely heard past the rushing wind.

Harry, the apparent one of the pair with common sense, flared his wings, jerking them to a slower fall with Dashes added weight and death-grip on him. He flared his own wings, and the two stopped, parting to see Dashes sleepy but exhilarated face.   
  
“I swear you're a junkie for that shit, Dash.” Harry sighed, frazzled with a trail of dark fog outlining where he’d fallen above them, though quickly dispersing.

_ “Yeah,  _ but ya love me!-” “You wish.” Harry held a serious gaze, before snickering, and the two ended up in a fit of giggles, flying up to Dashes house once again. This time, Harry was able to actually walk in, and he looked around, taking it all in.

It was so… Dash. There were plates and takeout boxes lying around the tables and sofa, and the kitchen looked almost unused. There were sports posters on the walls, and different gear lying in the corners, some not used in years. 

Harry suppressed a wince, horn lighting up with magic, already swirling into an anxious clean up. Dash, used to how he got from summer camp, just watched, snickering with just a slightly abashed expression. “Ah.. I was gonna get around to cleaning soon..” He mumbled, before being shushed by Harry as he walked past, spelling the dishes to work as he tossed moldy leftovers in the trash. It was astounding how much magic was lighting Dashes house at the moment, and sometimes he forgot that Harry  _ is _ an alicorn.    
  
Thankfully, any neighbors would probably assume he was just having another all nighter or party with all the flashes of light… most likely.   
  
Soon enough though, the magic died down as Harry finished, and Dash cleared his throat. “Right, uh…”   
  
“Mmm’sorry about that. It was just… yeah”   
  
Dash just nodded, flying to hover over the couch, a sprawling, cushiony thing with a few blankets tossed over one arm. “Is the couch alright? I have a futon, but that’s not really fit for two people…”   
  
Harry chuckled a bit, clearing some of the awkward air. “Couch is perfectly fine Dash, and I’ll be out of your hair in a day or two.”   
  
“Oh, you found a place that fast? You’ll have to show me when you’re done, man!”    
  
“I wouldn’t forget it for the world. Now, it’s late, and I spent the day flying here, so I’m exhausted.” Harry said, settling on the couch with the blankets available.   
  
“Oh. Oh! Of course, have a nice night Harry!”   
  
“You too Dash,” Harry mumbled, sleep already overcoming him. 

He was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.   
  
The next few days followed a predictable routine. Harry would wake as the sun rises, hours before Dash would be up, and would head back into town, grab a pastry from the local bakery, and head to the buildings he now possessed. He’d spend the next few hours lugging around debris, mending walls, and building shelves and other interior needs with supplies he bought around town, or had shipped from home in advance.    
  
The ghost problem was easy to go to the town hall and clear up, after filing a useless-looking document, and getting himself certified for exorcism in a business setting, which sounded like it may help to have in the future. At least, that’s what he got from the interested look the mayor gave him when he gave her an abridged version of what had happened.

Once afternoon hit, and Dash was past up and just getting off work from his weather team shift, he’d fly down and help with restoration for the main buildings- why Harry had gotten all three he really didn’t understand even with Harry’s explanations, but eh, that was fine. He didn’t really care as long as Harry wasn’t overwhelmed with it, so he did his best to help with the work.   
  
The main, center building was where Harry wanted his shop, and needed the most repairs, while the other two just needed furniture and a few remodeling touches that Harry wanted, as well as fresh coats of paint. The downstairs and lofts would be shop space, and upstairs would be storage or things too rare or volatile to keep in the open.

In the left building, Harry was going to have his library, full of books, tomes, scrolls, and artifacts he wouldn’t be selling. Almost all the walls had shelves and books lining them, and there were a few rooms he spelled with reinforcements for experimenting with magic and the items he found.   
  
In the right building, he’s setting up his own home. With all the extra room though, he’s considering opening up a room or two to rent, as he isn’t really using too much of it, but he’d look into the details of that later on. Both Dash and Ash Leaf got guest bedrooms for when they stay over, and he and Dash had talked about the possibility of Dash moving in permanently to cut a few costs between the two of them.   
  
In the next few weeks, all of that had been set up, and the exterior walls were painted an ivory white, with pale green roofing and shutters, and the interior walls being mixes of charcoal and shades of grey. The front gardens had been cleaned up, though he left the one in front of the shop a bit wild yet, spilling into the other garden spaces with curtains of flowering ivy.    
  
Dash had given the notice to his landlord, and was in the process of tacking on the last of his posters in his room, when Harry announced he’d finished the final touches, and  _ Mars and Malachite _ was officially open for business. 

* * *

The end of summer brought fall to Ponyville, painting the leaves red and orange and scattering them with each gust of wind. Harry’s business didn’t draw too many people in, but he’d met a few that were interested in his wares. One mare by the name of Rarity frequented to look at the gems and fabrics he sold, something he’s gotten word out for Ash Leaf to keep sending to him after the first few weeks. 

A younger philly also seemed to pop in every now and then- his shop was almost like a museum in some sections, so he didn’t pay too much mind. He hadn’t gotten her name yet, but her rough and tousled look made him slightly worried, and he always left extra baked goods on the counter when he saw her enter. They were always gone by the time she left, so at least she was getting something…

His library didn’t get too many visitors either. Ponyville already had a library, and his was more concentrated on rare and obscure topics- not many people in ponyville would need unless they were studying something. That was alright by him, and he often sat in one of the beanbag chairs in the corner, reading quietly to himself.

Today though, he was out in the town. The whole town seemed alive with a coming event- one Harry couldn’t quite recall. Falling with the leaves? Running with fall? He couldn’t quite remember, but he knew it was a race. There were a few stalls with food and water bottles, both for the racers and for those who chose to watch instead.

He’d been roped in to racing the course with Dash, but he wasn’t going to put too much effort in. He wasn’t pulling his wings out and outing himself, and Dash understood  _ that, _ but he was still bewildered when Harry said he was going to trot and just enjoy the scenery. It  _ was _ a beautiful trail cutting through the tamer woods around ponyville.

When everyone gathered to start the race, he hung back a bit, away from the starting mass. The rumble of hooves against the ground shook the surrounding air, and leaves flew behind the group. It was, well,  _ beautiful, _ and Harry wished he had some sort of camera with him. As it was though, he kept going, taking in the trail scenery.

It wasn’t too long before he reached the first rest stop. He could see Dash’s vibrant mane far ahead, apparently waiting till the next one up further. He chuckled to himself a bit, taking one of the offered bottles of water and taking a moment to himself.

He emptied the water bottle, and was about to get started, when he heard a yelp just a bit off the trail. Almost everyone had started moving on, so no one else had heard the sound.

“Hello? Is someone there?” He asked, concern lacing his voice with the whimpers he could hear, albeit muffled. 

He walked towards the bushes where the sound came from, finding a young filly with their leg twisted. It looks like they’d fudged going fast, if the scooter lying banged up next to them was any clue. She was shaking, a hoof to her mouth to muffle her shaky whimpers, a black eye and multiple bruises that looked older than whatever this accident could have caused.

It was the same filly that frequented his shop a lot, and it made the pit in his stomach deepen a bit.

“Hey, you’re ok, calm down kiddo.” He knelt down next to her, summoning an ice pack and bandages from his own home, pressing ice to the swelling ankle. It wasn’t in the worst condition, no, but foals didn’t have the pain tolerance as their older counterparts. 

He stood up, giving her a reassuring smile. “Alright, kiddo, i’m going to go get the medical staff so you can get looked at-”

“WAIT!- I- I-”

Harry paused, looking down at the shaking little filly. “Please- please don’t tell-”

“Is something wrong…?”

“Don’t- they’ll be upset-”

Why would the medical staff be upset with her…? She was shaking more than the leaves the same tone as her fur was, though, so Harry conceded, horn lighting up with soft, soothing magic that made her hoof feel numb. “Well, if you don’t want me to tell, at least let me take you back to my shop to make sure nothings broken?”

The little kid paused, debating for a moment, before nodding shakily. She tried standing up, only for her numb leg to give in, only being caught by a quick spell of Harry’s. He lifted her with the glowing light, placing her on his back, intangible wings shifting with undue nervousness.    
  
He waited as she adjusted herself, before he trotted off, the philly hiding herself in his floating mane as they passed by those running the stalls. Harry made up an excuse of the two of them getting too tired out to continue, and they bought it easily, waiving them off with fond but exasperated smiles.

It was almost moronically easy to take a little kid to his own house. In this world,though, there was little to no crime aside from some petty theft every now and then. The only thing you had to look out for were beasts in the forests, and long sealed foes. Ponies came and went wherever they chose, rarely if ever landing themselves in trouble.

It was peaceful, really.

Harry entered his own home, setting the still nameless filly on the couch. His horn lit up as wrappings and cleaners floated into the room. It took little time to clean up her scrapes and cuts, wrappings varying from small bandaids to having to take out crudely done old stitches and cleaning out the infection, before restitching and adding a gauze and tape.

He asked nothing of these while he fixed her up, saving it till he made a sweet, medicinal tea that would help her with the pain. He sat beside her, a serious but helpful look on his face.

“Those… weren’t all from the tumble you took, were they.” It wasn’t a question, not really, and the kid just looked down, shaking her head.

“Where did they come from?”

The filly whispered something, and Harry frowned a bit, ears twitching. “Speak up, kiddo, I’m not gonna be upset with you.”

“I… Dad… he doesn’t… he…”

She kept starting and stopping her sentences, eyes welling with tears as she tried to make excuses for what her dad had done. Harry’s eyes flicked subtly to her wings- he hadn’t noticed them at first, but from what he’d gathered…

Flying was a pegasi’s life, in some cases. 

For a racing family like this kid’s… 

Her wings would never be able to fly. They were undeveloped and malformed, rotating where they shouldn’t and creaking with what sounded like arthritis. 

Harry’s expression soured slightly as he sipped on his tea, the kid having babbled till she was out of breath, draining her own mug. 

“Kiddo?”

She looked up, blinking. “I-yes-?”

“I’ve got a few extra rooms available. If you ever need to get out for a while, my door is always,  _ always _ open. If its just for a meal, or even a place to stay for a few days.”

“But- but- i  _ couldn’t _ \- how would I- pay-”

“All I ask is that you keep an ear out for anyone in a similar, bad situation, and tell me, ok?”

It looks like his haven idea would start up sooner than expected.


	5. Speedrunning The Year Before Canon

Harry stared at the ticket in his mailbox. 

Shiny, golden, and almost reminiscent of the golden tickets in some old candy film from the blurb of past time in the back of his mind. Not that he particularly wanted to think about back then.

All the same, there was a crisp golden ticket in his mailbox, paired with an awkwardly formal letter of invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala. He grumbled, magicking it, and the rest of his mail, into his house. With a swish of light, the letter and ticket was stuffed into the back of his kitchen table, squeezed into the sides of the different jars lining the backwash. 

He went through the rest of his mail easily enough, but the ticket still nagged at the back of his mind.

He knew the princess was loose with just  _ who _ she sends these invitations to- sure, members of the court and royal family. Then those of considerable wealth that can  _ buy _ tickets. After that, those of sports and activities she enjoys- see the wonderbolts and a few other stunt teams. And following that, the category he fell into-  _ researchers _ .

Now, he himself didn’t classify himself as a researcher, not by any means. That didn’t mean he wasn’t part of a large guild of ponies that studied ancient magic, ruins, and creatures all across the world. In fact, he was one of the most well-traveled of his age group, and had one of the largest public collections- even if he did sell most of the non-harmful trades, or return relics to those they belonged to in case they still may be around.

What got him included into this  _ guild _ of sorts, though, was a bit different. His study of magic, and by extent, potions, was something that many were interested in. It wasn’t limited to unicorns, even, and though Harry despised the attention it occasionally brought, it also gave him access to others private collections, libraries, and archeological sites. His accomplishments, and complete  _ lack _ of a talent or cutie mark, had him slowly but surely brought into the community.

And with that community, came Celestia's attention- something Harry  _ certainly _ did not want.

He usually threw the tickets away, but now that he’d settled down in a place- maybe he could give it to someone else?

Dash was out immediately, he was visiting family in cloudesdale. He wouldn’t be able to attend in the first place.

Maybe Rarity? She frequented his shop a lot, but he wouldn’t quite call them friends just yet. That would probably be a bit weird- just offering her a ticket, not to mention the questions she’d inevitably ask.

Maybe that Pinky Pie mare? She seemed to like to party. She’d even hosted a welcome-to-ponyville party for him. But… her parties were much more  _ lively _ than such a formal gathering. 

He should just throw it away. That’s what he did every year, even if he felt bad about wasting it.

He hesitated, before he could. Would there be anyone that might want it? How would he even ask without causing some sort of stir?

A sleepy yawn answered him, following the padding of small hooves on tile. “Mmm...Harry? Whas’ssat?” a tired voice asked him. He looked down, face softening at the just-woken-up Scootaloo. 

“Hey kiddo. I’m just trying to figure out what to do with… this.” He handed the ticket to the filly, not really concerned about her messing it up accidentally- that’d just make his decision easier.

Scootaloo’s eyes widened as she read the ticket, before looking up at Harry. “You- you’re going to the galla?” She asked, awe in her voice. “My teacher was talking about that a few days ago- it sounds so wonderful! Have you been before? What’s it like?  _ Did you meet the princess?!”  _ The young filly rattled off question after question, making Harry chuckle. She did seem quite interested…

Maybe...?

“Do you want to go?”

“Wait- you’d  _ do that for me?” _

“I mean, if someone has a kid they can’t have someone else watch, they can come with as long as they’re behaved, and above like, six. Or something. Maybe you’ll find a friend there?”

Scootaloo  _ beamed,  _ tackling Harry with a hug and mumbling  _ thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou _ over and over again, before gasping. “Wait! What’ll I wear-?!”

Harry paused, before shrugging. “We could head over to Rarity’s shop? I’m pretty sure she’s a seamstress with how much fabric she buys…”

The filly was bouncing off the walls the entire way to the shop, and she could barely sit still as Rarity patterned fabric and drafted ideas for the two of them. 

At first, Scootaloo had asked for something to hide her wings, which made Harry’s heart drop. Rarity dissuaded her before Harry had a chance to speak though- if she needed to, she could have Harry’s suit jacket, but they eventually they picked something out that made Scootaloo feel better about herself.

A week later, they were on their way. Harry had to stifle his worries by listening to Scootaloo’s enthusiasm. He’d be close to Celestia- another  _ alicorn _ , and that made him worried. Would she be able to tell? What would happen if he was found out? Ahh, there were too many variables…

Their carriage slowed to a stop, and Harry helped scootaloo out of it, paying the ponies that had pulled it, tipping a good bit more than extra. He’d magic Scootaloo and himself home, but the ride there was a part of the experience Scootaloo seemed just as excited for.

Harry walked through the gates, passing the ticket to the guardsmen to check, and soon enough, they were inside. Scootaloo stuck close to his side as they walked through the gardens and to the main hall. He sucked in a breath as the walked in the door, eyes darting up, but… Nothing happened. 

He was fine.

He could do this.

He didn’t untense, but he looked down to smile at Scootaloo, the two of them walking somewhere off to the side-ish. When he notices  _ Scootaloo _ tense though, he tilts his head, leaning down to her. “You ok, kiddo?” 

Scootaloo didn’t look up at him, staring straight across the room, to a group of old stunt flyers. To one specifically, with a crisp orange pelt and maroon-red mane. Her dad. “I- I forgot- He- he-”

Harry was quick to walk infront of her, blocking her line of sight, and any chance her dad could see her. “Hey, hey you’re ok kiddo. I won’t let anything happen to you, ok?” He said quietly. 

He was quick to usher her further into the hall and farther from where her dad had been. He unconsciously unfurled his wings, still thankfully under the glamor, one protectively surrounding the filly- the unexpected weight confusing to her, but also comforting with its somehow familiar warmth. They stood a bit behind the food bar, and he kneeled to her height, whispering reassurances to the shaking foal. 

She sniffled, but didn’t cry, determined to calm down at least a bit. It would have been a funny expression had the situation been different. 

After a few minutes, she calmed down enough to stand unshakably, and the warmth faded as Harry’s wings curled back to his own body. “You doing better…?”

Scootaloo nodded slowly, and Harry sighed.

The filly hadn’t been home in a few weeks now, after a month or so of periodically staying at Harry’s newly dubbed  _ ‘HavInn’ _ \- a cute play on words for the renting out of a few rooms of his home. The more she’d gone, the worse her dad got, till she just didn’t go home. 

It was pure luck that the laws surrounding children were so much different from those in his old world. They could stay wherever they wanted, granted they felt safe and it was legally known they were staying somewhere that could take care of them. Having his home registered to rent out rooms meant Scootaloo could stay however long she wanted.

In all honesty, his inn had started to feel more like family the longer he had it. Dash was a constant in his life, and they were already pretty much brothers at this point. When Scootaloo started showing up, it was easy for her to fit the role of little sister, and they adored her.

If he could, Harry would make it official and adopt her, but… Well, taking a retired, well known and beloved racer to court over child abuse would be… more than a fools errand. So they worked with what they had.

It took a bit longer, but Harry worked Scootaloo back up enough for her to come back out of her shell. She was still somewhat shaky, but she kept close to Harry, and talked a bit with whoever came up for small talk.

She was doing better, snacking on some fruit jelly punch, when Harry had to leave for a moment. It was a quick trip to the loo and he’d be back, and Scootaloo had reassured him that she’d be ok for a few minutes. Just hang around the food tables till he got back.

Of course, once Harry was gone, things went bad. She’d been getting more of the jelly punch, when she stepped back a bit and bumped into someone, spilling her cup and dropping the ladle, unfortunately drenching who she’d bumped into. 

She turned, starting to apologize, before freezing, finally seeing who she’d bumped into.

Her dad’s suit jacket was drenched, and he was fuming, glaring down at her. 

_ “Runt.  _ What the  _ fuck _ do you think you’re doing here.”

Scootaloo whimpered, backing up into the table. She didn’t have anywhere to run.

“Well? Did you follow us somehow? Sneak past because you're my wretched offspring?”

“I-I- No-”

“Don’t lie to me, runt. Celestia, you’re an embarrassment.”

“I-im not- ly-lying i-” Scootaloo was cut off when she felt a bowl tip over her head- her dad had reached over and dumped the whole punch bowl on her, soaking her to the bone with juice and jelly. She whimpered, choking when she’d breathed at the wrong time, and frantically scrubbing it out of her eyes.

They were unaware of the crowd thinning, stepping back to watch the spectacle. All scootaloo was aware of was trying to stutter out why she was here, and the hard smack she got for it, sending her to the tile floor. She muffled her cry, shaking and curling up. Her dad sneered, lifting his hoof again, only for bright magic to snag his mane, yanking him back painfully. “HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!”

It was probably the quickest Harry had ran, the small spells he’d placed on Scootaloo to notify him of potential distress going off in his mind. He growled, a habit he’d gotten from his mothers when they were angry at someone for hurting him or Gilda. He yanked harder, dragging the winged stallion back as he stood over Scootaloo protectively. Scootaloo’s dad was about to say something, straining against the binds gripping his mane, when a throat clearing made them both pause.

“What is going on here.” The voice was heavy with authority, though concern was audible. It didn’t sound like a question, moreso a demand, and Scootaloo’s dad swallowed. 

“This- this  _ ruffian _ here assaulted me!” He gasped, pointing an offinding hoof at Harry, who had a blank, unimpressed face.

“He hit his daughter hard enough to send her to the floor. I think dragging you away from her is the nicest thing I could have done to you.” He hissed, eyes not moving from the stallion. 

The princesses eyes looked over the two of them, before down at the shaking form of Scootaloo, who was shifting away from her dad as much as she could, hanging onto one of Harry’s legs like it was a lifeline.

Celestia looked over the crowd, frowning slightly. “Well?” She asked. “Is this the only account we have?”

It was silent for a second, before a young, almost shaking stallion walked up, barley Harry's age. He looked to be an amature photographer, a camera hanging around his neck and a few photographs in a pouch. “I- I saw what was happening and- here-” He handed over a few photos. The first, the interaction was in the corner, but the next few were focused on the pair- of him dumping the juice, of hitting her, and of Harry coming to help. 

“I was- too scared to step in- I thought- it might help-” 

Celestia gave the young stallion a calming smile. “Thank you, these are indeed helpful.” She turned to Harry, almost ignoring the stallion still held back by his mane and shouting indignities. “How do you know the young filly, here?” She asked, the familiarity between the two apparent to her.

“She’s my sister,” Harry said immediately, then paused. “Not- legally. But she’s close enough to be considered as such. I run an inn, and she stays frequently to get away from  _ him _ .”

Celestia’s face softened at Harry’s first statement, and she sighed, barley sparing a glance at Scootaloo’s father. “Well, consider it done, young ones. It would be impossible to deem her father fit for parenthood at this time… and she seems safe with you.” 

She smiled, horn lighting up to dry Scootaloo of the punch, and placed a bandaid where she’d hit her head- more for the placebo effect than an actual need, but it seemed to work. Scootaloo wasn’t shaking as hard, taking deep breaths and clinging to Harry. Her wings were on the spritz still with her anxiety, buzzing and shifting.

“Excuse me? Do  _ I _ not get a say in what happens to  _ my _ daughter?!”

Celestia finally turned to him, smiling just the same. “No.”

A few weeks later, Scootaloo’s father had his court hearing, and was jailed. Harry, Dash, and Scootaloo were setting up her forever room, on the top story with a large window seat. Every night, Harry read stories to her, enveloping her in dark wings that felt warm and familiar.

* * *

It was pure coincidence, really. Ash Leaf hadn’t meant to trespass on the buffalo grounds- the borders outlined were hazy at best, and there were no true passages through the territory.

So here she was, sitting next to a campfire, her familiar being curiously examined by the calves of the tribe. 

After the initial misunderstanding of her being a ‘living pony’, they had a long talk about how she came upon them. The night was filled with old stories, filled with more truth than any modern pony would think, both from the buffalo and from herself.    
  


She listened to them every night for the week she stayed, and they opened up about the ponies that were slowly encroaching on their lands. They hadn’t built much yet, only a few homes and a school building, but the buffalo were getting worried with how much land they’d started to plow, and the train station that was almost finished.

When Ash left, she promised to talk to someone -that someone being Harry- to see if he could get involved and help them.

Ash ran into a few more coincidences during her travels. 

Dragon filled mountains. 

Expansive canyons with the homes of gryphons lining the walls. 

Deep jungles and the ancient beings that lived within. 

Never-ending savannah with a sky so big that the stars threatened to envelope her- and the Zebra that taught her to use them as a guide.

Sweltering deserts, with the lone sphinxes that traveled the dunes.

It was a travel filled year, and when she returned to Harry, she was ready to settle down, work at Harry’s small shop, and tell tales she’d heard with her travels.


	6. The Moon

The summer sun celebration was upon him. Better yet, the summer sun celebration was being hosted by ponyville this year- the princess would lower the moon and raise the sun in his own town.

It was hard to believe that nearly a year had passed since he’d come to ponyville. So much had happened, even if it didn’t seem like it. 

Scootaloo was going to stay at a friend’s house for the celebration, too young to really enjoy the entire nights festivities, so she’d hang out with her friend’s family and sleep over once they were tired. That left Harry and Dash to decorate their buildings. The inn was full, ponies from out of town coming in to spend the night. He’d done expansions to the building previously in the year, charms letting him fit more room than what should have been physically allowed as more ponies opted to occasionally stay at his haven. 

The first floor had general expanded rooms for in-and-out guests, not part of his haven. The haven itself was the second floor, fit with a few expanded halls of rooms, the kitchen, and a common space. The third floor was family- his own room, along with Dash’s, Scootaloo’s, and a guest bedroom for close friends that drop by- the only level that wasn’t magically expanded. 

Of course, the halls were hung with sun motifs and rainbows of color, and the price for the general ground floor was lowered -his haven, however, was always free to those in need- and he was at his ground floors limit.

True to his haven, he never opened up the second floor to general inn-goers, there were plenty of other places they could go. 

Harry was humming, opening the front doors to the HaveInn. The garden was flourishing in the summer sun, and he started watering the plants on the schedule he’d set up for them. A few of the more magical ones reacted to his attention, vines unfurling to pet through his mane, and some of the florals opening their buds and twirling in colorful displays.

He finished up gardening just as a frazzled looking purple mare stumbled towards the inn. She looked tired, and in need of a calm place for a bit, so he sidestepped, letting her in. “You alright there, miss?” 

The mare looked up, trying to smile. “Oh- i’m just  _ peachy _ . I just- I don’t have  _ time-” _ She started muttering to herself, working up her anxiety further. Following in behind her was a small bipedal dragon, who looked a bit concerned. Huh. Another pony with a familiar? Those were rare nowadays, if what Ash Leaf had said was true.

“Ah.. would you like some tea? It might help clear your head. On the house.”

The mare just nodded dejectedly, sitting down at one of the tables.

The tea he brought was a calming mix- not as strong as a calming draught, but much more palatable. The purple mare drank it slowly, tension easing out of her as she drained the mug. “That… thank you. What was it? I don’t think i’ve had something quite like it…” 

Harry smiled, “a newer recipe of mine- it takes a few elements of a calming potion, but nowhere near the intensity. It works just as well as soothing music and a soft blanket.”

The mare just nodded slowly, looking down at the cup. “Thank you. Ah, my name’s Twilight Sparkle, I suppose I probably looked like a lunatic walking in here…” 

“I’m Harry, and it happens to the best of us. Do you want to talk about what has you so bothered?”

Twilight looked a tad abashed at the question, and she sighed. “I… well, I’m in charge of making sure preparations go well. But everything has been taking too long, everyone’s so overly friendly, and I can’t focus on anything specific because there’s too much going on and it’s just- just…”

“Overwhelming?”

Twilight nodded quietly.

“Well, that’s ponyville for you. But I get it. The first moment I stepped foot here, I was bowled over by a hyperactive pink pony. But once I got to know everyone, it became more bearable. You said you’re overseeing preparations? Maybe I can help ease the load, I know a good bit about who’s taking care of what- friends with a few of them. What do you have next?”

Twilight blinked, looking almost surprised he’d offered to help. Or maybe it was because he was so understanding about the fact that she’s overwhelmed by what was just. Normal. “Oh- uhm. I was looking for a pegasus named… Rainbow Dash, I think? He’s supposed to clear the skies, but nothings been done yet.”

“Oh- Dash? Has he not woken up yet? Give me just a moment- he’s probably still upstairs.”

Twilight just sat back as Harry trotted up the stairs, mystified that  _ asking _ was all she needed to do for it to get done. Not minutes later, a rainbow blur was in the skies, getting rid of the cloudy day and letting the sun shine over the village. 

Rainbow Dash didn’t seem to leave the establishment, so Twilight figured they went through a window, and soon enough, Harry was back down with her, talking to her about what he’d heard about who was doing what, and where. 

Midway through the town’s unofficial ‘fluttershy etiquette’, a tired looking Dash walked through the doors, stumbling a bit. “Hello- i’m sorry about that, I didn’t mean to sleep in.” He sounded abashed, rubbing a hoof to the back of his neck.

“That was-”

“Quick?” Harry answered, chuckling. “I have it in good word that Dash here lives up to his name- fastest pegasus in ponyville.”

“Psssh, just ponyville? I bet I'm the fastest in all of Equestria!” The two stallions chuckled, and Twilight looked between them, somewhat confused but much more lax than she had been. “Well, I’m gonna go back to napping, I want to be able to stay awake through the sunrise,” he grinned, before flying up the stairway, skipping the steps entirely.

“Well, he’s… spritely.” She said, laughing quietly to herself. Maybe ponyville wasn’t so bad. She just needed to find the right people. 

“Oh, certainly. I’ve known him for a big part of my life, and he’s always been a ball of energy,” he stood, taking the mug to the sink and washing. A moment later, he was back with Twilight, a helpful smile on his face. “So, you said fluttershy next?”

“Oh- I-” Twilight thought the extent of his help would be the information and Dash, but helping her with the rest? That was… really nice of him. “Yes- Thank you. You really don’t have to though-”

“Nonsense, I want to help. And I’d feel bad if I left you to take care of this on your own after all of that.” He smiled, already trotting out the door. “So, Fluttershy is practicing over by the lake. She and the birds are easily startled, so let me do the talking at first,” Harry kept talking as they made their way to the last stops, and Twilight felt like the impossible task before her was just a bit easier to handle.

* * *

Harry’s alarm rang through the dim room. He, much like the rest of the event goers, had a general afternoon nap to get them through the night, and when he left for the main festival, the stars were out, glistening overhead.

There were stalls out, music filling the streets, and everypony was milling about, chatting and dancing. By chance a while later, Harry managed to meet up with Twilight again, the mare looking nervous about something. When he asked, she just shook her head, and continued to the event center.

There were murmurs in the crowd, quieting as Mayor Mare stepped up to the pedestal. 

“Welcome, everypony, to the summer sun celebration! Now, I won’t make you wait for what we’ve been building up to all night. I would like to thank everypony that helped make this event come to life, and everypony in attendance.” The music started to build up, and the lights dimmed as she spoke.

“And now, I present to you the ruler of Equestria, Princess Celestia!”

The music echoed around the room, and a spotlight hit the curtains. When they were drawn, however… no one was there.

There were gasps around the room, and the music cut awkwardly. “Oh- oh dear…” The mayor seemed confused, almost scared, when a dark mist enveloped the spotlight, and a different, much sinister alicorn appeared.

“Ah, my ponies, why do you not rejoice in my presence? Your princess has returned to you!” She exclaimed, narrowing her eyes over the room.

“What did you do with our princess!?” Someone from the crowd shouted, and the alicorn’s eyes narrowed. 

“Excuse me? Do you know who I am,  _ pony?! _ Did you not read the signs!”

“I do!” Twilight yelled, hooves trembling as she stared up defiantly at her. Harry’s eyes shifted between the two, concern growing. “You're nightmare moon!”

Oh.

You know what? That made sense.

Harry zoned out for a moment, trying to recall where he’d heard that name, before remembering a tale almost a thousand years old. He’d read it on one of his research trips to the canterlot library- a tale of two sisters.

He tuned into Nightmare Moon announcing her endless night, before fleeing into the everfree forest. 

  
Shit. He heard ponies talking worriedly, a few trying to figure out what to do, but it all sounded watery to him. He ran out quickly, following there he saw the black mist travel, and tracking the magic residue. He learned quickly that he’d make slow progress on foot, so he took a moment to consider. 

It didn’t take too long- a sunless Equestria would end in disaster. The glamor on his wings melted away so he didn’t have to focus on the spell, and he spread his wings, taking off into the sky, following the faint trail of the alicorn’s magic.

It wasn’t long before the source peaked, flying up to an old castle. The walls were crumbling and the banners were in tatters, almost a thousand years of wear and tear. Walking through the ruins was eerie. 

The halls were bare, crumbled ruins and barley standing furniture dotting the winding pathways. Parts of the ceiling had caved, exposing the night sky. The only issue with finding the alicorn was this castle was  _ saturated _ with her magic, what must have been her home, even a thousand years later. 

Trying to track her through the thick residual magic was almost nauseating, and he eventually gave up. 

The castle was large and sprawling, only fitting for when there had been two rulers of equestria, and Harry went through many rooms checking. Crumbled drawing rooms, what resembled a kitchen, old barracks for guards. He even tripped a few old hidden rooms, sending him sprawling through the darkness that his magic could barely penetrate.

Harry was breathing heavily, his search leading to nothing so far, when he entered one of the towers. He wanted to pass through, as the window was adjacent to the next level, and the stairway had caved and blocked off at the other side, when he saw something… confusing. There was a tall beam of marble coming from the ground, and balancing on top were five arms, a sphere on each. He could feel something watching him, though it was barely noticeable with the oppressive magic in the room.

Harry was already tired, and if it was some old, boobytrapped relic from the old castle? Well. He  _ really _ didn’t want to mess with it right now. He kept walking to the window and jumped out, wings spreading to glide through the other window across from him. He landed in what looked like the private wing- elaborate tapestries that were only just holding together, and two doors embellished with the sun and moon respectively. 

The door with the sun was saging off its hinges, dust looking to have been singed off almost recently. Harry frowned, pushing the door open and walking inside.

It used to be Celetia’s room, obviously. There were sun motifs everywhere, even engraved in the tile underhoof. The room was trashed, though. Scorch marks and broken walls, the furniture shredded and mirror broken. Some of it looked old and worn with time, but some… Some of it looked new.

Nightmare Moon must have made this a stop before heading to wherever she went.

Seeing nothing else to note, he left, heading to the door with the moon on it. It looked untouched, dust lied thickly on it, and Harry resisted the urge to sneeze when it flew up in the air as he pushed the door open. 

This room, too, was ruined. Just… not like Celestias had been. 

The mirror was cracked and broken, and there were models of planets shattered on the ground. There was a telescope bend in the middle, and the barley intact blanket was kicked off the bed onto the floor. There were physical marks on the walls, dents and holes almost hoof-sized, and a dagger thrown haphazardly in the corner.

Everything was untouched and covered in a thick layer of dust, with splatters of what he hoped was old rust or some sort of mold.

There were footsteps behind Harry, and he tensed, expecting an immediate fight.

What he didn’t expect was her curious gaze, almost puzzled. “You walked right past the elements. It’s what you’re here for, is it not? To banish me.”

“The fuck-whats? I’m looking for  _ you _ , not whatever earth-fire-water bits are going to do.”

“What?”

Right. Ok. It didn’t look like she’d attack him immediately, but Harry was still going to keep his guard up. “I don’t know what you did with the other princess,” Nightmare Moon blinked at him saying  _ other _ , “but you realize how shit Equestria’s going to go without sunlight. Right? There won’t be any way to grow food, and on the  _ other _ side of the planet, they’ll be stuck without the night cycle to give them a break from the sun’s heat. And  _ we’ll _ end up freezing.”

_ That _ was what this alicorn was hung up on? Not the fact that she was trying to take over, but over something so easily fixable? “You… realize there’s spells for everything you just said.”

Harry scoffed, painting a dead stare at the princess. “For unicorns, sure. But for the pegasi? The earth ponies? Or  _ literally _ any other creature that has a specific skill set that doesn’t include magic to make a replacement for the day cycle? At this point, you’re just asking for ponies to fall back on the old tradition of large groups of unicorns controlling them.”

Nightmare Moon opened her mouth, then closed it again- repeating a few times before she growled, glaring at Harry. “Well it’s not like they can’t handle it. If anything, it’s a small price for  _ what they did.” _

“What… did they do?”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s not like it’s going to be written in the ’winners’ history books.” Harry paused, turning to really look at what had become of the princess of the night. “What did they do to you?”

Nightmare Moon’s horn lit with darkness, and Harry’s vision swirled.

* * *

Luna made a frustrated noise, puffing up with childish anger. Her horn kept flickering with a dark glow, and she stared up at the moon. She dug her hooves into the dirt, horn lighting up once again, and the moon inched up from the horizon. She gasped, losing control of the spell and leaving the glowing body only two thirds of the way up.

Squeaking, and ran to her sister, a goofy grin on her face. “Tia! Tiatiatia! I did it!” She gasped, running into her sister and hugging her tight. The older alicorn smiled, looking up at the sky as the blue filly babbled on about getting the spell right. “You did wonderfully, Lulu,” she hummed, looking down before gasping.

“Luna, your cutie mark!”

“My-? Tia! Tia Tia look!”

* * *

A loud smack of wood on wood echoed through the room. 

Celestia was fuming, tossing anything she could get her magic on across the room. Wood chairs, pots and pans, even a few knives buried hilt-deep in the wall. She had tears running down her face, so, so angry at it all.

Why did her parents have to leave like that? It was a  _ stupid _ trip! They  _ knew _ the tension between ponies and dragons had been rising, and they  _ still _ left to go get the stupid volcanic moss! And now they were gone forever!

She screamed, breaking a table against the wall, magic sparking and fizzing with emotion.

Celestia hated them.

There was a sniffle from the doorway, and Celestia turned, eyes narrow.

Luna was there, draped in a blanket, nose stuffy and so, so sleepy looking. “T-tia..? What’s wrong..?”

It was all  _ her _ fault. If Luna hadn’t gotten so sick, they wouldn’t have needed to go get the stupid moss. Luna shouldn’t have been out at night - _ her talent didn’t matter, shut up _ \- and she shouldn’t have gotten bit by that stupid bat.

_ “I HATE YOU!” _ Celestia screamed at her, magic flaring, and Luna whimpered, taking a step back. “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! It’s all- its all-” Celestia had started to sob, halting her words, and Luna’s own tears welled up, starting to shake.

* * *

“Shhh, shhh, you’re gonna be ok Lulu, I’m here…” Celestia reassured her younger sister, who was currently muffling her shaky screams. Whatever strange sickness she had gotten had reached its peak, and Celestia thanked whoever was out there that it wasn’t contagious. 

She curled herself around the small filly, magic squeezing water out of a rag and placing it back over her forehead. 

She winced when Luna shrieked again, body tensing and bare wings flaring. She had been losing feathers in large patches, and now they were completely gone. Celestia could see the bones and muscle reshaping, and she whispered more reassurances to her sister, petting her mane. She couldn’t do much else… at least she could be there for her sister through whatever strange transformation she was going through.

The scent of blood made her gag, and when she looked down, Luna’s teeth were being shoved out of her mouth and being replaced with sharp canine-like teeth.

Celestia sobbed.

* * *

Luna had to wear a robe into town. She rarely opened her mouth to speak, for fear of what the townspeople would think.

* * *

Celestia and Luna stared up at the castle, tall and imposing. Their old ruler had died without an heir. He’d chosen the two sisters, of far more considerable magical talent than seen in thousands of years to rule in his stead.

It was a dramatic change from their previous life- down in an outer village. 

Luna took to robes and traditional facial and mouth coverings when she could, and Celestia gathered the respect and attention of her subjects as far more outgoing and present.

* * *

When it was discovered that Luna had vesperthropy, Equestria was thrown into uproar. Bat ponies were looked down upon in their old ways, seen as dangerous and unpredictable- but an  _ alicorn? _

It wasn’t long before the castle was burning, and Celestia was busy trying to placate the masses while Luna was taken.

For almost a month, they had her, and what they did was unspeakable.

By the end of that month, with every curse and spell used on her, not to mention other horrific acts, she would only transform with the full moon, uncontrollably.

When Celestia finally found her, all of those involved were executed for their crimes, and new laws protecting those other than ponies were put in place.

* * *

Celestia and Luna were adults now, long past their young age- for Celestia, at least. Luna was on the bridge, raising and lowering the moon with ease.

She saw how her subjects cursed the night, and her with it, yet celebrated the day.

It hurt.

When she tried to talk to her sister, she was waived off as unimportant.

Her unhappiness only grew as Celestia was adored, and she herself unacknowledged and scorned. 

* * *

When Harry finally came to, Nightmare Moon was gone, and he could see flashes of rainbow magic coming from the other tower, and the sun slowly rising above the horizon.

Whatever Nightmare Moon had done, it was over. So Harry went home, sleeping through the day and stuck staying up at night, pondering what the princess had shown him.


End file.
